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Description

Painted views of Canadian cities dating from the 19th century permit an examination of architectural developments and demographic shifts, as small towns and cities evolved into larger communities. The monochromatic watercolour The Market Place, Upper Town, Quebec, 1830 was painted by the recently-arrived Irish immigrant Robert A. Sproule. The work graphically illustrates the juxtaposition of the market place with the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Quebec City. The painting was sent to England in 1832 by Adolphus Bourne and was lithographed by C. Hullmandel to become one of four views of Quebec based on original watercolours by Sproule.